Garment hanger



Feb. 10,1942. H. c. RUEN v 2,272,587

GARMENT'HANGER Filed March 19, 1941 Gttomeg Patented Feb. 10, 1942 GARMENT HANGER Henry C. Ruen, Detroit, Mich.,

assignor to Cleaners Hanger Company, Detroit, Mich, a

corporation of Michigan Application March 19, 1941, Serial No. 384,033

4 Claims.

This invention relates to garment hangers and particularly to wire garment hangers of triangular form.

The lower spans of wire garment hangers commonly serve to carry trousers or other garments, folded across such spans, and it is desirable to apply to said spans a shield affording garments a seating area largely exceeding that of the bare Wire, since the latter would have a creasing effeet. It is further desirable to employ a shield that will exercise a material reinforcing effect and thus permit the hanger to be formed of lighter wire than would otherwise be required. It is to be noted in this connection that weight of wire is the primary cost factor in the wire garment hanger industry.

An object of the invention is to so form the lower span of a triangular wire garment hanger as to adapt a reinforcing shield for said span to be readily snapped into secure engagement with the hanger.

Another object is to particularly adapt an elongated and substantially rigid shield for the lower span of the wire garment hanger to be readily engaged with and retained upon the hanger.

These and various objects of the invention are attained by the construction hereinafter described and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is an elevational view of the improved garment hanger, with its lower span shielded in accordance with the invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional View of the same, taken upon the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional detail of the lower span and shield taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view of an end portion of the hanger and shield, illustrating the final step in applying the shield.

In these views, the reference character I designates the downwardly divergent sides of a triangular wire garment hanger, Z the lower span thereof, and 3 the usual supporting hook formed by extensions of one or both lengths of wire forming the sides. The span 2 is reinforced and shielded by a rod 4, preferably formed of wood and of semi-cylindrical shape, its curved face being uppermost and providing a garment seat. The ends of the rod 4 are vertically notched, as indicated at 5, to accommodate the rounded ends 6 of the hanger, and it is preferred to bevel the end faces of the rod convexly (Fig. 2), so as to progressively reduce the rod in length from its axial vertical plane to its longitudinal edges. To

facilitate a snap engagement of the rod with the hanger, the lower span of the latter is slightly bowed downwardly in proximity to its ends, as indicated at l, the curvature 1 being continuous with those formed by the rounded hanger ends.

The purpose of the described construction is to permit the rod 4, despite its substantial rigidity, to be readily snapped into engagement with the hanger ends, with the latter securely fitting in the notches 5. So applying the rod entails a springing of the hanger to permit registration of the notches with the hanger ends, and it is found that such springing may be materially facilitated by forming the ends of the span 2 with a slight excess of wire by downwardly bowing said ends.

In applying the rod or strut 4, one of its ends is first properly engaged with an end of B of the hanger. Using both hands as shown in Fig. 4, the assembler springs the hanger ends slightly upward, thus permitting notch at other end of the strut to register with the corresponding end of the hanger. One hand may grip the side 1 adjacent to the disengaged strut end and apply a considerable upward springing force, while other hand grips the rod and also applys a fiattening pressure to the curvature 1 at hanger end to which the strut is being fitted, and upon relief of stresses thus applied the hanger contracts to fit both notches. The beveled end faces of the strut facilitate forcing it between the hanger ends, tending to cam the hanger to its desired sprung position.

Engagement of the hanger and strut, established as above described, is readily maintained under all conditions of hanger use.

The rod or strut has adequate rigidity to strongly reinforce the hanger and consequently permits the latter to be formed of materially lighter wire than would otherwise be feasible. The construction permits use of same type of light hanger for either light or heavy garment suspension, it being necessary to merely apply the strut to adapt the hanger for heavy duty.

A further advantage of the construction is its adaptability to hold a tie or belt 8 securely in place by engaging latter between the strut and lower span, as indicated in Fig. 3.

It is important to note that interfitting relation of the hanger and strut positively prohibits any rocking or oscillation of latter transversely, such as would disturb equilibrium of a garment seated on the rod.

What I claim is:

1. The combination with 'a wire garment hanger having spaced upper and lower spans integrally connected at the hanged ends, of a substantially rigid wooden strut extended above and adjacent to the lower span and terminally formed with shallow notches to straddle the hanger ends, the lower span having an abruptly downwardly ofiset end portion at one end to facilitate upwardly springing such end in applying said strut.

2. The combination as set forth in claim 1, said hanger end being substantially rounded and said end portion of the lower span being bowed downwardly in a curvature continuous with that of the adjacent hanger end.

3. The combination as set forth in claim 1, each end of said strut being tapered toward its respective notch to further facilitate fitting the strut between the hanger ends.

4. The combination with a wire garment hanger having spaced upper and lower spans integrally connected at the hanger ends, of a substantially rigid wooden strut extended above and adjacent to the lower span and terminally formed with shallow notches to straddle the hanger ends, the lower span having abruptly downwardly offset portions at its ends to facilitate upwardly springing such ends in applying said strut.

HENRY C. RUEN. 

